Bad Heron Day (fishing for cormorants)

[Phil Ertel]

Bad Heron Day (fishing for cormorants)

Bad Heron Day…bad hair day get it?? The ruffled neck feathers! Oh come on now you thought that was funny:p.

This image of a heron and cormorant fighting over a fish was captured on November 28th at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on an overcast morning at 10:57AM.

This image was captured just before the one I posted on the Avian Wild and Free board (Fish Tug of War) the other day. I am not sure this rates as a good picture but, I really like the action and the alien look of the heron and thought I would share it with those of you here that have been so kind and helpful. I was able to get six images before the heron won the discussion. I would have like to have been able to see the cormorant’s eye but two out of three eyes isn’t bad.:D

I removed a couple of reeds. Other adjustments were to boost the contrast a bit and to darken the fish a little.

I am interested in your opinion on the merits of this image and to any composition suggestions you may have.

Thanks for looking and of course any critiques.

Regards,

Phil

Camera: 40D
Lens: Canon EF500mm f/4 IS USM plus 1.4x
Exposure: 1/500s at f/5.6
Exposure Program: Manual
Metering Mode: pattern
ISO: 800
Flash: No Flash
Tripod

[Jackie Schuknecht]

My first reaction was that I found it humourous Phil, but would this be a fairly rare thing to have caught this interactive behaviour?? The Heron looks bizarre (but not in a bad way) :) The wings almost look like crab claws to me.

[Gus Cobos]

A great capture Phil.
Talking about being at the right place, at the right time...great action here. Love it...:cool:

[denise ippolito]

Phil, It's priceless! I love the action you were able to catch and I think it is the interaction between the two that is important to be seen and you can see it well

[Alfred Forns]

I like it a lot Phil and this is one image that does well in contest You should save and enter !!!

You got a good interaction, both birds in focus, no merging, pleasing bg and lots of feel !! I sure do like it !! Crop wise its good, you got enough room for the virtual feet, both birds feel fine and some extra to the right !!!

[Gail Spitler]

Great action shot.
Gail

[Lance Peters]

Hi Phil - well done - excellent action shot :)

[Nonda Surratt]

My first reaction was exactly the same as Jackie's..Super nice interaction image, good going!

[WIlliam Maroldo]

It is definitely a good action shot, although there are a few problems. I think that in the first place 1/500 sec was a little too slow, at least 1/1250 sec to catch the action. The cormorant's head position is less than ideal (as you noted), as well as the bird much less in focus than the GBH. I think that the lighting must have been less than optimal, for 1/500 sec at ISO 800 should have allowed a greater depth of field (assuming you were using aperture priority). In any case F5.6 isn't going to be adequate. One more thing. I think a tighter crop would be much more appropriate compositionaly. Later~Bill

[Phil Ertel]

First and most importantly thanks for all of your comments. I am glad you enjoyed the image.

William, yes the light was not optimal. The dark clouds were rolling in and it began to rain shortly after took this series of pictures. I would have loved to have been at least f8.0 and at 1000s (or greater) with an ISO of 400 but with the weather it was not to be. I was not in AV mode but was in manual. I thought about bumping the ISO up to 1600 to squeeze more speed but I find the noise at that setting to a bit much to handle. Defiantly not perfect but, I enjoyed the odd looking heron and the action. Thanks for your comments. I learn something every time I visit BPN.

Phil

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Great capture Phil. I like it as presented and wish you would take Al's advice on entering it in a contest. Perfect timing.
Big time congrats,

[Harold Davis]

that is one funky looking heron!!!! congrats on the action capture! love it. i think you did really well in the conditions you had. dont think i could have done any better!!

[Julie Kenward]

I like it. I think William has some valid points but I still really like it. The interaction and the look on the heron are so nice! You've got lots of good habitat around and nothing at all distracting about it. I do think you would have had an even stronger composition if you had taken a step or two to the left and had both their faces in the image. That said, I still like it!